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The Philander Chase letters were written in the 18th and 19th century and therefore may contain language that we understand today as harmful or offensive. You may encounter paternalist descriptions of Native Americans, racial slurs, or sexism. For more information, see our policy page.
Description
Ward expresses her great appreciation for Chase's recent letter and reminisces about his brief visit in Horkesley.
Date
2-4-1826
City
Great Horkesley
Keywords
Horkesley, Ohio, Mary Ohio
Recommended Citation
Ward, Mary, "Letter to Philander Chase" (1826). Philander Chase Letters. 559.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/559
Rights Statement
Transcript
K.Ch. 26020
Gt. Horkesley Parsonage
Feb 4th 1826
Rt Rev. and very dear Sir,
I need not tell you of the delight which your most kind and interesting letter of the 2nd of August occasioned to us all, and most especially to her who, was thus highly favoured by you, a privilege which indeed I little expected and deserve still less. If the few happy days which you spent at Horkesley have not been forgotten in Ohio, I think the remembrance is at least as strong on this side of the Atlantic, and I believe in the balance of pleasure our scale must very far outweigh yours. I trust indeed these were not moments of happiness which were forgotten as soon as they were passed, but perhaps the remembrance of them may still be delightful in Eternity, if we may believe, that those who have been friends on Earth will still be friends in Heaven. Charlotte desires me to express her sincere gratitude for your most kind remembrance of her, which impels her to ask an infinitely greater favour, that she may sometimes be remembered by you where such a recollection can be attended with the most important blessing. What you tell me of your dear little children is most particularly interesting to me, who am a professed lover of children. I am afraid it may be partly because I find my own level more in their society, than in the company of grown up people, but certainly some of the happiest moments of my life, have been spent with those who are much younger than myself, and I have learnt many a lesson from the innocent simplicity of a little child, which might have been less perfectly taught me, by the reasoning of those of maturer age. May I beg of you to give my affectionate love to your little darlings and to tell them how little deserving I feel myself of their love and of my most honourable title, “Mary Ohio.” I wish it were in my power to prove myself better entitled to the one and the other, but I believe I shall easily gain credance [sic] when I say, that to [repay] to Ohio, one iota of those blessings which I have received from her, would be a real happiness to me, but of this your infant [zion] may rest assured, that my voice will ever be joined with those of her most sincere friends, in imploring the blessings of God for her, and my prayers are the best and only offering I have to make her. I think one who can give so little, ought not to take so much of what is as invaluable to her and therefore I will infringe no longer on your precious moments, than to thank you once more, for your extreme kindness to me, who can only wish you well, & can [plead] your [cause[ in no other way than by sometimes whispering that there is a “Rose in the West,” whose head is drooping for want of watering and her stem bending for want of propping. With the greatest respect I desire always to remain, Rev. Sir,
Your affectionate and obliged
Mary Caroline Ward